Porous spacers, instruments, and methods for foot and ankle fusion

Abstract

Porous spacers (100) are provided for foot and ankle fusion. The porous spacers disclosed herein may be implanted between separate bones of a joint or between two segments of a single bone following an osteotomy procedure. Such spacers may be used in conjunction with an ankle resection system which includes a resection frame (150) and a resection guide (170). The resection frame can be anchored to the distal tibia and / or the talus and provides an opening (155) through which a bone cutting element can pass for cutting underlying bone. The resection guide can include one or more cutting slots (169, 171, 172) and the resection guide can be coupled to the resection frame with the one or more cutting slots positioned over the opening in the resection frame so that the bone cutting element can pass through the one or more cutting slots and through the opening in the resection frame for cutting the distal tibia and / or the talus.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 644,214, filed on May 8, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to foot and ankle fusion. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to porous spacers for foot and ankle fusion, and to instruments and methods for performing the same.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]Bone grafts are generally used for foot and ankle fusion procedures. However, bone grafts have limited strength. Because the ankle or foot must support a patients body weight, the bone graft may become physically overloaded when implanted in this part of a patient's body. Also, bone grafts may require intra-operative, custom shaping, which is time consuming and not readily reproducible.SUMMARY[0004]The present disclosure provides, in certain aspects, porous spacers for foot and ankle fusion. The porous spacers disclosed he...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0033]In Example 19, a method for placing a bone implant or a provisional bone implant, comprises anchoring a resection frame to bone, the resection frame including an opening through which the bone implant or the provisional bone implant can pass; positioning a resection guide over the opening in the resection frame, the positioning blocking passage of the bone implant or the provisional bone implant through the opening in the resection frame while allowing passage of a bone cutting element through the resection guide and through the opening in the resection frame to cut underlying bone; creating a space for the bone implant or the provisional bone implant which includes passing a bone cutting element through a first cutting slot in the resection guide and through the opening in the resection frame and into underlying bone; repositioning the resection guide with respect to the opening in the resection frame such that the bone implant or the provisional bone implant can be passed through the opening in the resection frame; and passing the bone implant or the provisional bone implant through the opening in the resection frame and into the space.

Problems solved by technology

However, bone grafts have limited strength.

Because the ankle or foot must support a patients body weight, the bone graft may become physically overloaded when implanted in this part of a patient's body.

Also, bone grafts may require intra-operative, custom shaping, which is time consuming and not readily reproducible.

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